Why Older Americans Are Drinking More Alcohol—Not Less
A new survey finds that young adults are going sober as older adults drink more alcohol.
The United States is experiencing a temperance boom, with alcohol consumption declining nationwide. A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows that while young adults in the Millennial and Gen Z generations are driving this trend, older Americans aged 50-64 are consuming more alcohol than before. The study, conducted by Dr. Brian Lee, a hepatologist at Keck Medicine of USC, analyzed responses from over 114,000 U.S. adults participating in the National Health Interview Survey from 2018 to 2024.
The survey measured alcohol consumption and defined heavy drinking as five or more drinks per day for men and four or more for women. Overall drinking decreased by 2% and heavy drinking by 8% between 2022 and 2024, with the most significant drops among Gen Z. Older Americans, however, saw a 4% increase in overall drinking and a 36% rise in heavy drinking from 2018 to 2024.
The reasons for these changes are unclear, but greater public awareness of alcohol's health risks could be a factor. However, older Americans may benefit from similar public information campaigns, as their increased drinking puts them at higher risk for various diseases, including liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
The study suggests that younger generations might be replacing alcohol with other intoxicants like cannabis, and the ability to afford alcohol may also play a role. As societal expectations shift and fewer people drink around them, older adults may find it easier to cut back on their consumption. Regardless of the causes, the study emphasizes that the less alcohol anyone consumes, the better.
Written by urgent.news from Time's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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